Department for Transport

Railways: Standards

lord bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the practice of train operating companies terminating trains before they reach their advertised destinations, what steps they are taking to prevent such a practice except in exceptional circumstances.

baroness vere of norbiton: When trains are terminated before they reach their advertised destination, for contractual purposes, this is considered to be a part or full cancellation depending on how much of the planned journey is completed. If performance falls short of an operator’s contractual obligations, the Department can require them to incur expenditure to improve. Whilst terminating trains early clearly impacts passengers, train operating companies say it is sometimes necessary to prevent more significant delays or potential further cancellations for a larger number of passengers, or if calling at a specific station would be unsafe or the line is blocked.

Airports

baroness jones of moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 2 March (HL Deb, col 436), whether any future airport expansion will be conditional on all new flight capacity being filled by zero-carbon aeroplanes.

baroness vere of norbiton: Airport expansion is a core part of boosting our global connectivity and levelling up the UK. It is crucial that vital infrastructure projects, including airport expansion, drive the whole UK economy. This Government supports airport expansion, but we will permit it only within our environmental obligations. This Government is committed to working with the aviation sector to make sure we deliver on the opportunities available to us, while meeting our environmental commitments, whether that is through modernisation of our airspace, innovation in sustainable fuels or research and technology. On 27 February the Court of Appeal declared that the Airports National Policy Statement is of no legal effect unless and until the Government carries out a review under the Planning Act 2008. The Court’s judgment is complex and requires careful consideration. We will set out our next steps in due course.The Government is supportive of airports making best use of their existing runways, subject to the assessment and consideration of their impacts, including consideration of their environmental impacts. The Government recognises that the fight against climate change is one of the greatest and most pressing challenges facing the modern world. The Government’s net zero target shows the UK’s steadfast commitment to tackling climate change, and we recognise that aviation has a crucial role to play. The Government is committed to setting a clear ambition for the aviation sector and is carefully considering the advice of the Committee on Climate Change. We are planning to consult shortly to update the Government’s position on aviation and climate change. It is critical that we consider how aviation can play its part in delivering our net zero ambitions.

Global High-level Conference on Road Safety

baroness sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they were represented at the3rd Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety, held in February; and if so, whether they signed the Stockholm Declaration on road safety.

baroness vere of norbiton: I attended the Global Ministerial Conference in Stockholm last month. The Stockholm Declaration was presented at the conference and the UK supports its aims on road safety. It was not signed by the attendees to the Conference. The Stockholm Declaration is expected to be presented at the UN General Assembly in April for debate. It may be amended from its current form, before being the basis for adoption as a resolution.

Global High-level Conference on Road Safety

baroness sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to adopt the resolutions within the Stockholm Declaration on road safety arising out of the 3rd Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety.

baroness vere of norbiton: The UK supports the aims of the Stockholm Declaration on road safety. The UK is already committed to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and already adopts a safe systems approach. The Stockholm Declaration is expected to be presented at the UN General Assembly in April for debate. It may be amended from its current form, before being the basis for adoption as a resolution.

Rolling Stock: Seating

lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the comfort and suitability of the passenger seating in any new rolling stock (1) on Great Western intercity services, (2) on East Coast services, and (3) on Thameslink services; and whether such new rolling stock represents an improvement in the passenger experience.

baroness vere of norbiton: Seating on new rolling stock is required to both address comfort of passengers and conform to the relevant design standards, which includes addressing fire safety and crash worthiness. Train operators as the end users for the new Thameslink trains and intercity trains operating on Great Western and LNER routes have worked with the manufacturers to deliver seating that is compliant with the requirements, including testing with passenger representatives.

London Airports: Air Routes

lord empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will ensure that the disposal of landing slots at Heathrow and Gatwick, formally owned by Flybe, will not disadvantage access to those airports from regional airports in the UK.

baroness vere of norbiton: Her Majesty’s Government recognises that airports are vital for local economies, providing domestic and global connectivity, employment opportunities, and a hub for local transport. To demonstrate this, a review of Regional Air Connectivity was recently announced to ensure all nations and regions of the UK have the domestic transport connections local communities rely on – including regional airports. Her Majesty’s Government plays no part in, and through regulations is legally prevented from intervening in, the airport slot allocation process.

Railways: North of England

lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they still intend to introduce driver-controlled operation in Northern England rail services; and what will be the future role of guards.

baroness vere of norbiton: The leadership of the public-sector operator will be using the first 100 days running services to prepare an ambitious plan, consulting with passengers and leaders across the North to understand their priorities and improve the service for passengers. In the meantime, the business will continue to operate as usual with no impact on Northern services or staff.

Roads: Capital Investment

lord triesman: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether Highways England has been successful in delivering the Road Investment Strategy; and, where such schemes supposed to be delivered under the Strategy have not been completed, whether the numbers holding directions have increased as a result.

baroness vere of norbiton: The first Road Investment Strategy period will end on the 31st March 2020. The Office for Road and Rail will report on the first Road Investment Strategy shortly after that date. The Secretary of State for Transport will also provide a report to Parliament as required by the Infrastructure Act (2015).

Parking: Pedestrian Areas

lord selkirk of douglas: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to address pavement parking.

baroness vere of norbiton: The Government has responded to the Transport Select Committee’s 2019 Pavement Parking Inquiry, setting out our intention to carry out a public consultation on possible solutions to the complex pavement parking problem. The options include allowing local authorities with civil enforcement powers to enforce against unnecessary obstruction of the pavement, and introducing a London-style pavement parking prohibition across England.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Storms

lord blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to review the practice of naming Atlantic winter storms.

lord callanan: The Met Office reviews the naming of storms on an annual basis, in conjunction with its partners at the national meteorological services of Ireland and the Netherlands. The review takes into account feedback from partners and stakeholders in government, the resilience community, in media and from the general public.

Weather

lord blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have for weather conditions other than Atlantic winter storms to be given names.

lord callanan: The criteria for naming of storms can take into account potential impacts from rain and snow, as well as wind. Storms can be named at any time of year, not just in winter. There are no plans for weather conditions other than storms to be given names.

Hydrology: International Assistance

lord hunt of chesterton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had, or plan to have, with the World Meteorological Organization about expanding that organisation's Water Programme to include (1) extreme flooding, and (2) wind damage.

lord callanan: The UK Government is actively supporting advancement of the World Meteorological Organization’s (WMO) water related activities through membership of the WMO Executive Council and the WMO Hydrological Coordination Panel. Water issues are recognised within WMO’s new Strategic Plan, which was approved by the World Meteorological Congress in 2019. The Government is supporting WMO to develop a Plan of Action that will strengthen operational National Hydrological Services in areas such as flood risk management, drought preparation, hydrological monitoring and water resources assessment.

New Businesses: Females

baroness mone: To ask Her Majesty's Government, followingThe Alison Rose review of female entrepreneurship, published on 8 March 2019, what progress they have made in increasing the number of female entrepreneurs.

lord callanan: In response to the Alison Rose Review, the government has set out an ambition to increase the number of female entrepreneurs by 50% by 2030, equivalent to nearly 600,000 additional female entrepreneurs. In order to help realise this ambition, over the past year the Government has worked closely with industry to implement the eight recommendations of the Rose Review. The Rose Review Board, which is co-chaired by BEIS and HM Treasury Ministers, has been established to oversee progress, which includes: HM Treasury have launched the Investing in Women Code, which to date has 22 signatories;Working with partners to expand the expert in residence programme to all 38 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) areas in England.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Norfolk Island

lord howarth of newport: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 18 February (HL1480), whether an Act of Parliament established Norfolk Island as aTerritory of the Commonwealth of Australia; and if not, (1) how it was established as such a territory, and (2) how Parliament was consulted.

lord goldsmith of richmond park: In 1914 Norfolk Island became a Territory under the authority of the Commonwealth of Australia by way of a (UK) Order in Council and the (Australian) Norfolk Island Act of 1913 (enacted by the Australian Parliament).

Attorney General

Intestacy

baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many estates of people that died (1) without known entitled relatives, and (2) withoutleaving a will, were referred to the Bona Vacantia Division of the Government Legal Department in (a) 2017–18, and (b) 2018–19; and how many of those were referred by local authorities.

lord keen of elie: In 2017-2018 there were 2768 estates referred to the Bona Vacantia Division of the Government Legal Department of estates where people died without leaving known entitled relatives or a valid will of which 909 were referred by local authorities. There were 2 referrals of estates where the deceased died leaving a valid will which did not dispose of the entire of estate but without leaving known entitled relatives entitled to share in the undisposed residue, neither of which were referred by local authorities. In 2018-2019 there were 1971 estates referred to the Bona Vacantia Division of the Government Legal Department of which 575 were referred by local authorities. There were 3 referrals of estates where the deceased died leaving a valid will which did not dispose of the entire of estate but without leaving known entitled relatives entitled to share in the undisposed residue, none of which were referred by local authorities.

Intestacy

baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) how many, and (2) what proportion of, referrals to the Bona Vacantia Division of the Government Legal Department have come from (a) local authorities, (b) hospital trusts, (c) coroners, and (d) other organisations and individuals, in (i) 2017–18, and (ii) 2018–19.

lord keen of elie: In 2017-2018 there were 2770 estates referred to the Bona Vacantia Division of the Government Legal Department of which 33% were referred by local authorities, 4% were referred by hospital trusts, 63% by other organisations and individuals. There was one referral by a Coroner’s Office. In 2018-2019 there were 1974 estates referred to the Bona Vacantia Division of the Government Legal Department of which 29% were referred by local authorities, 3% were referred by hospital trusts, 68% by other organisations and individuals. There were no referrals by Coroners.

National Fund

baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Keen of Elie on 14 March 2019 (HL14162), what was the outcome of the Attorney General’s application to the High Court on 22 May 2018 to release the assets of the National Fund; and whether that charity’s up-to-date accounts have been filed with the Charity Commission.

lord keen of elie: The National Fund was created in 1928 with the purpose of paying off the entire national debt. At present the fund cannot be used unless it completely clears the national debt, due to the terms of the fund’s charitable trust. On 22 May 2018 the then Attorney General made an application to the High Court to vary the terms of the charitable trust so that the National Fund can be used to help pay down the national debt. It is now for the High Court to decide whether the terms of the charitable trust should be varied. If the application is successful the money in the fund will be paid over to the National Debt Commissioners towards the reduction of the national debt. The hearing in the High Court is scheduled for October 2020. The website of the Charity Commission indicates that the accounts of the National Fund for 05 April 2019 are overdue.

Female Genital Mutilation: Prosecutions

baroness jenkin of kennington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what guidance they have issued for decisions about prosecuting individuals in relation to female genital mutilation offences.

lord keen of elie: The CPS has legal guidance for all prosecutors dealing with potential cases involving female genital mutilation, which it keeps under review. This guidance has recently been revised to reflect the practical challenges in these cases and to provide clarification on piercing and cosmetic surgery. This was done in consultation with key stakeholders and published in autumn 2019.

Department of Health and Social Care

Coronavirus

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatsteps they are taking (1) to purchase or manufacture, and (2) to distribute sufficient, (a) clinical respiratory face masks, (b) goggles, and (c) protective clothing for health workers dealing with a potential COVID-19 epidemic in the UK; and what training NHS and emergency service workers will receive in using such equipment.

lord bethell: The Chancellor has set out a £12 billion package of temporary, timely and targeted measures to support public services, individuals and businesses through the economic disruption caused by COVID-19.General practitioner surgeries and the National Health Service should continue to use their current procedures for ordering, supplying and procuring personal protective equipment and use their usual contracted routes should any escalation be needed.We practise and prepare our response to disease outbreaks and follow tried and tested procedures, following the highest safety standards possible for the protection of NHS staff, patients and the public. Specific guidance on handling people with COVID-19 has been shared with NHS staff. Public Health England has also published online guidance for first responders and others who may have close contact with people with potential COVID-19.

Coronavirus

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they expect 20 per cent of those infected with COVID-19 in the UK to require hospital treatment, as was the case in Wuhan.

lord bethell: The United Kingdom Government and devolved administrations, including the health and social care system, have planned extensively over the years for an event like this. The UK is therefore well prepared to respond in a way that offers substantial protection to the public. The Government’s action plan Coronavirus: action plan A guide to what you can expect across the UK sets out what we are planning to do next, depending upon the course the current coronavirus outbreak takes. A copy of the action plan is attached.Among those who become infected, some will exhibit no symptoms. Early data suggest that of those who develop an illness, the great majority will have a mild-to-moderate, but self-limiting illness – similar to seasonal flu. It is, however, also clear that a minority of people who get COVID-19 will develop complications severe enough to require hospital care, most often pneumonia, in some instances leading to death.



Coronavirus action plan
(PDF Document, 262.64 KB)

Coronavirus: China

lord blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of statements by the World Health Organisation praising China’s handling of the COVID-19 outbreak.

lord bethell: The Government is supporting the World Health Organization (WHO) in their response to the COVID-19 outbreak including a direct contribution of £10 million. The WHO would expect a full review of all elements of their response to COVID-19 to take place once they are out of response mode, as has occurred after previous Public Health Emergencies of International Concern.

Walking

lord bourne of aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to promote the benefits of walking.

lord bethell: Public Health England (PHE) has produced a range of evidence and guidance materials to promote the benefits of walking. PHE’s One You campaign launched the free Active 10 brisk walking app designed to encourage adults to undertake more physical activity by simply going for a brisk 10-minute walk. The app was relaunched in December 2019 to align with the new United Kingdom Chief Medical Officers’ guidelines that every minute of physical activity counts and provides health benefits.

Mental Health Services: Children and Young People

baroness fall: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of referrals of children with mental health issues referred for treatment from (1) GPs, and (2) other health professionals, are treated through child and adolescent mental health services; what is the average waiting time between referral and treatment; what are the reasons given for any rejected referrals; and what thresholds must be met for referrals to be successful.

baroness fall: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bethell on 26 February (HL1564), for those referrals for treatment by child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) what was (1) the average waiting time, and (2) the assessment by CAMHS after the waiting period as opposed to the initial assessment from the referral.

lord bethell: The information cannot be provided because a national access and waiting times standard for children and young people’s health services has not yet been defined.We are piloting a new four-week waiting time for children and young people’s mental health services in 12 areas to inform the development of a new national access and waiting times standard.Information is not collected centrally on the clinical thresholds used by services to determine access to treatment or whether referrals meet these thresholds.

Mental Health Services: Children and Young People

baroness fall: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bethell on 26 February (HL1565), what advice they give to local clinical commissioning groups on the support they should offer children on waiting lists for treatment by child and adolescent mental health services, and to the parents of such children; and what assessment they have made of the quality of support commissioned by local clinical commissioning groups for such children and parents.

lord bethell: NHS England and NHS Improvement have not published advice or guidance on support that clinical commissioning groups should offer to children on waiting lists and their parents/carers, nor have they assessed local approaches to providing this support.Children and young people’s mental health covers a wide range of needs and there is no single service model. Commissioners and providers must consider the needs of children and young people and their families and set out how they will provide a range of services to form a comprehensive children and young people’s mental health offer in their local transformation plans.These plans are whole-system plans that set out how local areas will work together to lead and manage change for children and young people’s mental health. These are refreshed and republished each year.

Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are planning to take to ensure that health inequalities due to alcohol-related harm do not widen.

baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that dependent drinkers who are not in treatment receive the support they require.

lord bethell: The Government is committed to tackling health harms from alcohol and supporting the most vulnerable at risk from alcohol misuse. We continue to support and deliver programmes at both national and local levels to address harms including establishing Alcohol Care Teams in the hospitals with the highest rates of alcohol related admissions and a commitment in the Prevention Green paper to encourage drinking habits towards low and no alcohol products. The Department of Health and Social Care is working jointly with the Department for Work and Pensions investing £6 million on a programme of work which started in 2018/19, to improve outcomes and support for children whose parents are alcohol dependent. This includes nine local areas which are testing innovative and collaborative working; funding for voluntary sector organisations to develop new resources and training; a helpline and contact services for children, and funding several projects in the voluntary sector over 2020/21 to support those living with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), and to reduce the number of alcohol exposed pregnancies to prevent new cases of FASD.

Female Genital Mutilation

baroness jenkin of kennington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what (1)sexual and reproductive health and rights, and (2) female genital mutilation support,services exist for women with complications resulting from female genital mutilation in the UK.

baroness jenkin of kennington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for expanding the provision of (1)sexual and reproductive health and rights, and (2) female genital mutilation support, services in the UK to support women and girls.

lord bethell: National Health Service referral pathways are in place locally to respond to the physical, mental and sexual health needs of women and girls who have undergone female genital mutilation (FGM) through maternity and specialist paediatric services. Non-pregnant women over 18 can access a new pilot of eight FGM support clinics launched in September 2019 which provide a range of services, including deinfibulation if required.Commissioning of FGM services is informed by NHS Digital’s FGM enhanced dataset.Local authorities in England are mandated to commission comprehensive open access sexual health services for people present in their area based on an assessment of local need.

Health Services

lord lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government what policies the NHS has in place for patients who require to be treated and cared for by staff of a particular sex.

lord bethell: As stated in the NHS Constitution, patients have the right to express a preference for using a particular doctor within their general practitioner practice, and the practice must try to meet this request. In other instances, National Health Service organisations set their own policies on patients’ ability to specify the gender of the staff treating them.In addition, the General Medical Council guidance to doctors states that, when proposing to carry out an intimate examination, doctors should offer the patient the option of having an impartial observer (a chaperone) present wherever possible. This applies whether or not the doctor is the same gender as the patient.

Students: Grants

baroness thornton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether part-time students on (1) physiotherapy, and (2)other courses, will be eligible to receive the £5,000 maintenance grant each year whilst studying.

lord bethell: Students who are enrolled on eligible physiotherapy courses or any other eligible courses and who are studying on a part-time basis will receive a pro-rata payment. Further details will be made available in due course.

Ambulance Services: Emergency Calls

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessmentthey have made of the research undertaken by the Health Services Journal, published on 5 March, which showed the number ofclinical commissioning groupareas which met the 18 minute target for category 2 emergency ambulance calls.

lord bethell: No assessment has been made. All English ambulance services have adopted the Ambulance Response Programme model, and report data at trust level against the Ambulance Quality Indicators. There is no central data collection at clinical commissioning group level and no further assessment will be made, as it is a matter for local commissioners.The Joint Ambulance Improvement Programme is taking forward the recommendations in Lord Carter of Coles’ report Operational productivity and performance in English NHS Ambulance Trusts: Unwarranted variations.

In Vitro Fertilisation

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord O'Shaughnessy on 24 October 2017 (HL1882) and by Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford on both 9 January 2020 (HL275) and 11 February 2020 (HL1237), why the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) does not hold information on which methods of freezing are used; from which data the HFEA came to the conclusion that there has been no effective difference between vitrification and slow freezing methods over the last five years; and what assessment they have made of the importance of any (1) clinical, and (2) other, follow up for informing prospective patients.

lord bethell: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) is required under the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 to keep a register recording identifiable information on patients, the treatments they undergo and their outcomes. This information does not include the method used to freeze sperm, eggs or embryos.The HFEA has not said that there has been no effective difference between methods of freezing over the last five years. The HFEA’s published information on annual fertility trends shows an increase in success rates using frozen embryos and frozen eggs over time.The HFEA does not carry out follow up work with patients. Under the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990, applications can be made to use HFEA data for research studies.

Antimicrobials: Drug Resistance

lord empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how the UK compares with the 27 EU Member States in efforts made to address antimicrobial resistance.

lord empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the principal lessons that the UKcouldlearn from the 27 EU Member States on how to improve performance in tackling antimicrobial resistance.

lord bethell: Published studies suggest that the United Kingdom has a lower incidence of resistant infections at 82 per 100,000 population while the European Union average is 131 per 100,000.The UK aims to achieve antimicrobial usage levels as good as the best countries in the world. Modelling best practice at home, sharing our experiences and learning from the successes of other countries is key to our approach to tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR).On reviewing the UK’s approach to AMR, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control noted in 2019 that it is an example for other EU/European Economic Area countries to follow.

Department for International Development

Migration: Climate Change

the lord bishop of salisbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of any link between climate change and migration.

baroness sugg: The UK government has been at the forefront of assessing the link between climate change and migration. In 2011, UK Government Office for Science published the Foresight report on Migration and Global Environmental Change, which used cutting-edge science to assess how environmental changes such as flooding, drought and rising sea levels may influence global human migration. The government continues to assess emerging science and evidence in this area.The UK is a leader in ambitious climate action and delivering success at COP26 is the government’s top international priority. We were the first major economy to legislate for net zero emissions by 2050 and we are committed to helping communities adapt to the impacts of climate change that are already happening, particularly in the most vulnerable countries. This includes supporting sustainable livelihoods and reducing the risk and impact of disaster, which will help ensure that people are not forced to leave their homes and communities while delivering on the Global Goals.

Hospital Ships: Procurement

lord touhig: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Integrated Security, Defence and Foreign Policy Review will consider the possibility of procuring a hospital ship.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: DFID and the Ministry of Defence already work closely together deploying ships to respond to humanitarian emergencies. For example, following Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas last September, RFA Mounts Bay played a critical role in the UK response.The integrated review is the deepest review of the UK’s foreign, defence, security and development policy since the end of the Cold War.It will establish the strategic aims for our national security and foreign policy, determining the capabilities and structural reforms needed to meet those aims and how we will work with international partners and organisations to promote the UK’s interests around the world.No decision has been made on the construction or operation of a UK hospital ship, and we will continue to ensure that UKaid is deployed in a way that maximises value for money for development and the UK taxpayer.

Hospital Ships: Procurement

lord touhig: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to use the foreign aid budgetto procure a hospital ship.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: DFID and the Ministry of Defence already work closely together to respond to humanitarian emergencies including using ships for relief efforts. For example, following Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas last September, RFA Mounts Bay played a critical role in the UK response.As set out in the UK Humanitarian Reform Plan, the UK Government is committed ensuring a bigger, better, faster response capability which is able to respond to a range of different natural disasters.No decision has been made on the construction or operation of a UK hospital ship, and we will continue to ensure that UKaid is deployed in a way that maximises value for money for development and the UK taxpayer.

Coronavirus: Disease Control

baroness goudie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to tackle COVID-19 globally.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK has announced up to £241 million of aid funding to support the global efforts to combat the outbreak of COVID-19.This includes £150 million to the International Monetary Fund to help developing countries focus their available resources to tackle the virus and a £65 million investment into COVID-19 research, which includes eight vaccine candidates and rapid diagnostics tests.The £150 million to the International Monetary Fund’s Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust is to help developing countries deal with the short-term economic difficulties caused by coronavirus, allowing them to focus their spending on tackling the outbreak. This funding will help lessen the disease’s future global economic impact and thereby help safeguard the UK economy. A team of infectious disease experts will also travel to developing countries to support global efforts to prevent further spread.UK aid has a longstanding record of supporting countries across the globe to prepare for large disease outbreaks. We are closely working with our partners, including the World Health Organization, to support vulnerable countries ensuring they are prepared and have adequate supplies and health systems can cope.

Developing Countries: Coronavirus

baroness sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government which countriesthey are prioritising for the distribution of aid to counter the effects of COVID-19.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: HMG is closely monitoring the global transmission of the Covid-19, in particular the capabilities and vulnerabilities of developing countries, using the State Party Self-Assessment Annual Reporting index provided by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The UK’s global response strategy is to support the WHO and other multilateral actors to contain Covid-19 and mitigate secondary health and socio-economic impacts, especially for vulnerable populations in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. Contributing to the WHO’s appeal will enable UK aid to support a strong international response alongside other key donors.We are targeting our efforts where we have existing capacity to maximise our impact, and working with international partners to ensure aid is effectively distributed to vulnerable countries.

Department for Education

Free School Meals

lord bassam of brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the annual spend on free school meals in each year since 2015.

baroness berridge: Schools pay for benefits-related free school meals from their core funding. The department includes a factor value in the national funding formula (£440 per pupil), but both local authorities and schools have the freedom and flexibility to apply their own local formulae. Last year, around 1.3 million children benefitted from this important provision.For universal infant free school meals (UIFSM), schools receive funding through a separate grant. The department spends around £600 million each year ensuring 1.4 million infants receive a free meal through this programme.UIFSM allocations since 2015, can be found at the following links:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-infant-free-school-meals-uifsm-funding-allocations-2015-to-2016.https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-infant-free-school-meals-uifsm-funding-allocations-2016-to-2017.https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-infant-free-school-meals-uifsm-funding-allocations-2017-to-2018.https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-infant-free-school-meals-uifsm-funding-allocations-2018-to-2019.https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-infant-free-school-meals-uifsm-2019-to-2020.

Children: Social Services

baroness eaton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, as part of the review of the children’s care system, they will work jointly with the Local Government Association, councils, and care providers, to increase the transparency of children’s social care costs.

baroness berridge: In a Written Ministerial Statement on 12 February, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education announced that the care review would be independently led, with a broad and bold scope to support a fundamental look across children’s social care. We continue to develop the review and are committed to undertaking it at the earliest opportunity. This includes considering the review’s scope, which will be developed alongside the independent leadership of the review. We will confirm this in due course. The Written Ministerial Statement is attached and is also available at the following link: https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2020-02-12/HCWS110/.We anticipate that the review will engage with a wide range of stakeholders including those involved with delivering local services and those with experience of using them.

Woodworking: Apprentices

baroness garden of frognal: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have toprioritise the woodworking and joinery sector as part ofany review of apprenticeship standards.

baroness berridge: This is a matter for the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education. I have asked its Chief Executive, Jennifer Coupland, to write to the noble Lady and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Woodworking: Apprentices

baroness garden of frognal: To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent steps they have taken to allocate additional resources for the roll-out of the apprenticeship standards in the woodworking and joinery sector.

baroness berridge: New high-quality apprenticeships standards, designed and driven by industry, are providing employers with the skills they need. The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education is responsible for working with employer trailblazer groups to design and approve these standards. The standards describe full occupational competence, as agreed by employers, and must include a rigorous and independent end-point assessment.Over 530 standards have been approved for delivery to apprentices. From August 2020 all starts will be on these employer-designed standards. Employers in the woodwork and joinery sector have developed two standards available for delivery – Carpentry/Joinery and Advanced Carpentry/Joinery. The sector can also benefit from the 76 standards in construction-related roles.We support employers via the National Apprenticeship Service, offering free impartial, expert advice to employers in every sector. To support SMEs in sectors such as joinery and woodwork to use these standards to address their skills needs, we have begun to move smaller employers onto our apprenticeship service, giving them a greater choice of training providers. Smaller employers, such as those in supply chains, can also benefit from transferred funds from levy payers. This year, 2019-20 funding available for investment in apprenticeships in England is over £2.5 billion; double what was spent in 2010.

Woodworking: Apprentices

baroness garden of frognal: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much in total the woodworking and joinery sector has contributed to the apprenticeship levy fund to date; what proportion of that total has been spent on apprenticeships; and whether any unspent levy can be redistributed back to non-levy payers tobe used by SMEs to address skills shortages.

baroness berridge: The apprenticeship levy is collected by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs from all UK employers with a pay bill above £3 million. Employers in England access their levy funding through their apprenticeship service accounts. The Education and Skills Funding Agency does not require levy-paying employers to document their industry sector when registering an apprenticeship service account. For this reason, we are unable to provide data which shows the amount of levy funds entering the accounts of employers in the woodworking and joinery sector, or the proportion of that total which has been spent on apprenticeships. In 2019-20, funding available for investment in apprenticeships in England has risen to over £2.5 billion, double what was spent in 2010-11, allowing employers of all sizes, including those in the woodworking and joinery sector, to access funding for apprenticeships.The department’s annual apprenticeships budget, which is distinct to the funds available to levy-paying employers through their apprenticeship service accounts, funds apprenticeships in England for both levy payers and Small and Medium Enterprises. This means that levy payers’ unspent funds are not lost but are used to support apprenticeships in smaller employers.We are also supporting smaller employers who do not pay the levy by moving them onto our digital apprenticeship service, giving them a greater choice of training providers and more control over their apprenticeships. In addition, smaller employers can benefit from transferred funds from levy payers, supporting new starts in supply chains and addressing sector skills shortages and local skills needs.

Woodworking: Further Education

baroness garden of frognal: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with further education colleges about the delivery of practical qualifications needed to support the woodworkingand joinery sector.

baroness berridge: The government approves a number of qualifications for funding, across a range of subjects and levels, which providers, including further education (FE) colleges, can offer to their students. Qualifications are approved for funding in line with the government’s funding conditions and in response to student, employer and local skills needs. We expect those qualifications approved for government funding to be delivered in line with guidance set out by the awarding organisation offering the qualification, and all government funded provision is subject to inspection by Ofsted. The government is conducting a review of post-16 qualifications at level 3 and below to ensure that there is a simpler, clearer qualifications offer in which all qualifications are high quality, have a clear purpose and support students to progress to positive outcomes. The government will be publishing the next stage of the consultation on this review later in the year. We continue to engage with stakeholders, including FE providers and their representatives, on matters relating to technical education.

Schools: Sanitation

lord lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether it is their policy for schools to provide separate (1) changing rooms, and (2) toilets, for boys and girls; whether all or any of such facilities can be gender neutral under their policy; and what action a parent can take if a school is in breach of any such policy.

baroness berridge: The department publishes advice to support schools in England to meet the standards set out in school premises regulations. For both maintained schools and academies (including free schools), the regulations state that suitable toilet and washing facilities are provided for the sole use of pupils. It also requires separate toilets for boys and girls aged 8 years or over to be provided except where the toilet facility is provided in a room that can be secured from the inside and that is intended for use by one pupil at a time. Suitable changing accommodation and showers should be provided for pupils aged 11 years and over at the start of the school year who receive physical education.The department’s advice indicates that schools should take into account the age, number and sex of pupils, and any special requirements they have, when determining whether provision is suitable. It also advises that where there is unisex provision of toilet facilities the privacy of the occupant needs to be ensured, for example, by having adequate enclosure and a full height door.We trust schools to work with parents to determine what is in the best interests of pupils, where there may be concerns. In the rare cases where this is not the case, parents should register their complaint by following the school’s complaint policy.

Department for International Trade

Quintessentially

lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the names of the foreign investors introduced to the Department of International Trade by Quintessentially; and what venues were used for such introductions.

viscount younger of leckie: The Department for International Trade meets multiple foreign investors on a weekly basis. Our investors seek the ability to pursue and implement their investment strategy confidentially. We work within GDPR guidelines and respect the commercially sensitive nature of our work. We use Government venues for meetings and engagements wherever possible to showcase the UK’s heritage and ensure value for money. We also seek to secure partnerships and sponsorship to ensure public expenditure is minimised.

Food: Imports

lord wigley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that any future trade agreements with other countries will require that no imported food or drink may contain any asbestos which could enter into the body of a consumer.

viscount younger of leckie: We remain firmly committed to upholding our high food safety standards outside the EU. The UK’s independent food regulators will continue to ensure that all food imports into the UK comply with those high standards.

Ministry of Defence

Ministry of Defence: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

lord tunnicliffe: To ask Her Majesty's Government what timescale they have set for the review of the Ministry of Defence's contribution to reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

baroness goldie: The Ministry of Defence has launched a Climate Change and Sustainability Review to develop the Department's response to the Government's commitment to bring greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. The Review is currently at the scoping stage; setting the ambition, refreshing the baseline and establishing our route to net zero. The Review aims to have a clear Plan in place and be driving implementation from the end of 2020.

Ministry of Defence: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

lord tunnicliffe: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there will be a public consultation as part of the review of the Ministry of Defence's contribution to reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

baroness goldie: As part of the Ministry of Defence's Climate Change and Sustainability Review, and subject to security constraints, the review will seek input and advice from the wide range of sources both within and external to the Department.

Ministry of Defence: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

lord tunnicliffe: To ask Her Majesty's Government how thereview of the Ministry of Defence's contribution to reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 will relate to the Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy.

baroness goldie: Tackling climate change is a national priority and one of the most pressing issues the world faces. It will influence many areas covered by the Integrated Review. The Ministry of Defence's internal review of our contribution to reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 aims to clarify our sustainability priorities, as well as inform decision-making throughout the Integrated Review.

Department for Work and Pensions

Social Security Benefits

lord davies of stamford: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the additional cost of withdrawing benefits when claimants increase their revenues from other sources at the Income Tax rate of 20 per cent instead of the marginal rate of 63 per cent.

baroness stedman-scott: No such estimate has been made. Universal Credit promotes work as an effective route out of poverty and the single taper rate means people know they will always be better off in work or working more. The rate of the taper reflects the need to balance work incentives with fairness to taxpayers.

Social Security: Scotland

lord mackenzie of culkein: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have made any assessment of the Social Security (Scotland) Act 2018.

baroness stedman-scott: The Social Security (Scotland) Act 2018 is an Act of the Scottish Parliament and established a high-level enabling framework for social security in Scotland. This followed the devolution of certain aspects of the social security to the Scottish Government under the Scotland Act 2016. Its provisions are the responsibility of the Scottish Government, and it is not for the UK Government to make an assessment of matters which are devolved.However, the UK Government is working closely with the Scottish Government to ensure a safe and secure transition to the new benefits being introduced, which will replace Personal Independence Payment, Attendance Allowance, Carer’s Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit, Cold Weather Payments and Winter Fuel Payments. Severe Disablement Allowance will also become a matter for the Scottish Government. Sure Start maternity grants and funeral expense payments have already been replaced with Scottish provision. The Act also provides for completely new benefits with no equivalent in England and Wales. The Scottish benefits will be delivered by Social Security Scotland.

Universal Credit

baroness ritchie of downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the operation of section 26 of the Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment, Jobseeker's Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance (Claims and Payments) Regulations 2013.

baroness stedman-scott: Under Universal Credit, claims may be backdated by up to one calendar month in some circumstances for vulnerable claimants, who may be delayed in claiming Universal Credit through no fault of their own. Claims may also be backdated in specific circumstances when a couple separates, to ensure that there is no gap in entitlement between the couple claim and the new claim made by a single claimant.In order to provide the best possible support to our claimants, it is important that we are able to have discussions about their claim and circumstances at the earliest possible opportunity, whether to support them back into work or to provide or signpost them to other support and guidance. It is therefore important that backdating provisions are used in specific circumstances, and that all claimants are encouraged to engage with us at the earliest opportunity.Universal Credit has been designed with a diverse range of claimants in mind and we want the application process to be as quick and easy as possible to ensure that claimants receive their money at the earliest opportunity. Comprehensive support is available to claimants to use our digital service, however, we recognise there will be occasions when people are unable to make or maintain their claim online, so telephone support is available. The initial verification can include a home visit to support a claimant with making their claim and completing any other administrative tasks required, including applications for Section 26, to ensure that they receive the correct payment.Citizens Advice and Citizens Advice Scotland have supported over 200,000 individuals through ‘Help to Claim’ since April 2019, offering tailored and practical support to help people make a Universal Credit claim up to receiving their first full correct payment on time. ‘Help to Claim’ is available online, on the telephone and face-to-face, in locations including Jobcentres and Citizen’s Advice Bureaux.The Department has delivered a number of improvements to support claimants during their first assessment period, including paying those claimants moving from Housing Benefit onto Universal Credit a two week ‘transitional housing payment’, and introducing a two-week run on for eligible claimants of Income Support, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance from July 2020.

Social Security Benefits: Disability

baroness sherlock: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken (1) to suspend reassessments for sickness and disability benefit, and (2) to ensure that the entitlements to existing awards are maintained, throughout the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic.

baroness stedman-scott: The safety of DWP’s claimants and staff is our number one priority. As a result of the Government’s decision to move to the “Delay” phase to manage the Covid-19 outbreak, we have taken the precautionary decision to suspend all face-to-face assessments for health and disability related benefits with immediate effect. This includes Personal Independence Payment, the Industrial Injuries Scheme and Work Capability Assessments in both Employment and Support Allowance and Universal Credit. Existing claimants in receipt of a health or disability related benefit will continue to receive their benefit payments while we consider alternative arrangements to review or reassess existing entitlement.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Air Pollution

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce air pollution.

lord goldsmith of richmond park: Our Clean Air Strategy (CAS) sets out an ambitious programme of action to reduce air pollutant emissions from a wide range of sources. The World Health Organization has recognised the CAS as an example for the rest of the world to follow. The Environment Bill, which was introduced to Parliament on 30 January, delivers a number of key elements of the strategy including making a clear commitment to set a legally binding target to reduce fine particulate matter. In addition, on 21 February, we published our response to the Government’s consultation on cleaner domestic burning of solid fuels which sets out our intent to phase out the sale of bituminous (house) coal and smaller quantities of wet wood. We have also put in place a £3.5 billion plan to tackle roadside nitrogen dioxide concentrations.

Climate Change

lord truscott: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the Gulf Stream is slowing; and whether any such slowing is having an effect on (1) the UK's climate, and (2) any increase in extreme weather events, including flooding.

lord goldsmith of richmond park: The Gulf Stream is a small part of a large, global-scale ocean ‘conveyor belt’ of circulation, driven by winds and by differences in temperature and salinity, known as the ‘Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation’ (AMOC). The AMOC has been measured since 2004 by an international observation system called RAPID, in which the UK plays a leading role. These measurements have shown a slowing over the last decade, however much of this may be from natural variability. A recent assessment by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), published in the Special Report on Oceans and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate, found some evidence to indicate the AMOC has already weakened relative to the pre-industrial period (1850 – 1900), and finds it very likely that the AMOC will continue weakening over the rest of the 21st Century. A large slowing of the AMOC would be expected to cause more winter storms over northern Europe, a decrease in marine biological productivity in the North Atlantic and changes in sea level. These effects would be superimposed on the effects of climate warming due to greenhouse gases, and they are included in the climate model projections used by the IPCC. At this stage we do not have evidence that the observed weakening of the AMOC has had a detectable impact on the UK climate. The second Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA) published in 2017 identifies risks to flooding and coastal change as one of the UK’s top six risks from climate change. The second National Adaptation Programme (NAP) published in 2018, sets out a plan of actions across Government to address these risks (amongst others identified in the CCRA) over the following 5 years. In addition, updated UK Climate Projections (UKCP18) are a key tool to help the Government, businesses and the public understand the future climate and enable them to make climate-resilient decisions.

Sheep

lord jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their current estimate of the size of the UK sheepflock.

lord gardiner of kimble: The total number of sheep and lambs on agricultural holdings in the UK was estimated to be 33.58 million as at 1 June 2019. (Source: UK Agriculture departments June Survey/Census of Agriculture)

Dairy Farming

lord jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their current estimate of the size of the UK dairy herd.

lord gardiner of kimble: The UK dairy herd was 1.87 million head as at 1 June 2019. Dairy herd is defined as female dairy cows aged two years and over with offspring. (Source: Cattle Tracing System (CTS) in England, Wales and Scotland and the equivalent APHIS system in Northern Ireland)

Agriculture: Subsidies

lord jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much money they have paid in total to farmers as direct payments.

lord gardiner of kimble: By the end of February 2020, the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) have paid £1.91 billion to farmers, land managers and foresters in England. The RPA fully appreciates how important these payments are and are working hard to ensure remaining payments are made as quickly as possible.

Treasury

Overseas Aid

baroness sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans, if any, they have for the criteria for allocating Official Development Assistance to be redefined.

lord agnew of oulton: HM Treasury will allocate future Official Development Assistance (ODA) budgets at the 2020 Comprehensive Spending Review. We will build on the process and criteria used at the 2015 Spending Review to allocate ODA, taking into account a range of factors, including, but not limited to, value for money and strategic alignment with the Government’s priorities, in line with the conclusions of the Integrated Review. The Government expects the same high standards from ODA as it does from all Government expenditure.

Banking Competition Remedies

lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to commission an independent review into the structure and effectiveness of Banking Competition Remedies Ltd, in particular the (1) role of Baringa Partners, and (2) selection of participating lenders and their impact in taking market share.

lord agnew of oulton: Banking Competition Remedies Ltd (BCR) is the independent body established to oversee and implement the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) funded alternative remedies package, which replaced RBS’ original State aid commitment to divest its Williams & Glyn business. The performance of BCR is overseen by an independent monitor, Mazars, appointed by HM Treasury. HM Treasury has no ownership or control rights over BCR, which is governed by an independent board of directors.

Women and Equalities

Veganism

lord blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the 3 January ruling by Justice Robin Postle that veganism satisfies the tests required for it to be a philosophical belief and is therefore protected under the Equality Act 2010, what plans they have to amend that Act.

baroness berridge: A series of tribunal readings since 2010 mean that protected philosophical beliefs under the Equality Act 2010 include not only ethical veganism but belief in Scottish independence, anti-fox hunting, democratic socialism and the higher purpose of public sector broadcasting. I therefore agree with my Noble Friend that the scope of philosophical belief will be included in any future decisions the government takes about possible changes to the act.

Gender Recognition: Equality

lord lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Equality and Human Rights Commission about amendments to its guidance on the Equality Act 2010 to help providers of services understand how to handle requests for access to services and facilities from transgender people.

baroness berridge: Those seeking to rely on the protections and exemptions contained in the Equality Act 2020 must be able to do so with confidence and clarity. The Equality and Human Rights Commission's statutory codes of practice on the Equality Act 2010 explain the provisions of the Act and the EHRC is responsible for updating these codes as necessary.This Government has been clear that we must take the right steps to protect safe single-sex spaces for women and girls; their access should not be jeopardised. Some women's organisations have expressed concern that predatory men may abuse the gender recognition system, intended to support transgender adults. We have heard these concerns and are considering carefully our next steps.